The Woodlands Township is considering ways to restore one of its major assets - the forest that surrounds the community.

The canopy of trees that inspired the community's name was hard hit by the 2011 drought, one of the worst in the history of the state, as well as last summer's heat wave and the June 12 heavy thunderstorms, which knocked at least 125 trees onto homes, vehicles, or fences in The Woodlands, said John Powers, assistant general manager for community services for The Woodlands Township. Crews from the Township, Montgomery County and area contractors removed around 400 downed trees from roads in The Woodlands after the storm, he said.

The Township's Board of Directors recently voted to create a plan to replace the lost trees. The reforestation plan includes seeking bids for seedlings and planting materials for the first phase of replanting, as well as updating irrigation systems at neighborhood entrances and the purchase of a new water truck.

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By the numbers

Budget amendment for tree removal: $1.8 million

Cost of audit by American Forest Management: $9,500

Estimated amount of dead trees: 16.38 percent

Amount of dead trees less than six inches in diameter: 61 percent

Amount of tree contractors working on removal: 7

Total tagged trees larger than six diameters: 20,599

Remaining contracted removal cost: $1.3 million

Amount of trees removed by The Woodlands Development Co.: 777

Earlier this year, the board approved a $1.8 million budget amendment for additional tree removal. Part of that funding was set aside for a $9,500 forest audit by American Forest Management. The audit was conducted in April.

Powers recently presented the results of the audit to the board.

To determine the quantity and species of dead trees that died as a result of the drought, American Forest Management sampled 300 random plots of Township-owned parks, greenbelts and open spaces totaling around 1,514 acres, Powers said.

"This made for a statistically valid sampling," he said.

The company estimated that 16.38 percent of all the trees in the sample area have died or will soon.

"This does not account for trees in the median or in the major thoroughfares," Powers said.

These numbers also do not include dead trees on private property.

Powers said the audit indicates 61 percent of the dead trees are less than six inches in diameter. Since smaller trees do not pose a risk to people or property, American Forest Management does not recommend removing them.

"We have adjusted the numbers so trees under 6 inches are not considered for removal," Powers said.

Board member Ed Robb said that trees will only be removed if they are hazardous. "We're not removing trees just for aesthetics," he said. "If they can fall and not cause harm, we're not removing them."

Powers said 7,428 trees have been tagged for removal this year. Seven tree contractors, along with Township staff, are working to remove them.

"The entire community has been designated a priority," Powers said.

Since no one area has a higher priority over another, contractors have been assigned to each Village.

"The majority (of tree removal) is occurring in older parts of the community, where the older parts of the forest are," Powers said.

Grogan's Mill totals around 26 percent of the work, Panther Creek comes next at 20 percent and Cochran's Crossing follows at 17 percent.

The audit indicates a total of 20,599 dead trees that are larger than six inches in diameter, with 2,994 trees currently tagged, leaving 13,243 trees to be removed. The remaining contracted removal cost is estimated at $1.3 million.

"That's a little more than we currently had budgeted," Powers said.

He said staff is not asking for a budget amendment at this time but will continue to monitor the numbers.

There has been no reforestation effort by the Township since the drought, since the board was advised to wait until rainfall increased.

"Year to date, rainfall is about normal," Powers said.

The American Forest Management report recommends implementing reforestation efforts over a five-year period and replanting with small seedlings only in the fall of each year.

Smaller trees require less initial water and are usually less likely to suffer from transplant shock. They also cost less and can be more efficient, Powers said.

"Sometimes obtaining large quantities of small trees can be problematic, so we'd like to get started," he said.

The goal is to bid out the trees identified for reforestation in June or July, which would provide reforestation materials for the fall of 2012.

The Woodlands Development Co. and its sub-contractor Brickman are still removing streetscape trees. Through the end of April, they removed 777 trees in the community at a cost of $134,473 and are anticipating removing approximately 3,200 trees in the streetscape areas by the end of the year. "Streetscape removal is right on target," Powers said.

Staff is currently developing a plan to extend irrigation systems at various neighborhood entrances in the community and purchasing water trucks or retrofitting existing equipment for supplemental watering.

American Forest Management also recommended that the Township update its Integrated Forest Management Plan, which was adopted by the Community Associations in 2003.

Powers said the current plan is to plant two saplings for every one tree removed from the forest. "Part of the plan is for staff to identify those areas that are top priority for reforestation," he said.